I prefer my daughter's school to be without murdering headmistresses, campus abductions and rapes, notorious hazing rituals. Acid in the face disfigurements are also something we generally do not look for in a school.

I am an alum. I agree it is very different from the "Big 3" in that girls are not laser focused on Ivy League acceptances. If you want to challenge yourself, you can. As for diversity, they have made large strides especially given that for years it was a WASP bastion. There are students of all kinds racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Thankfully, it is not the same school it was fifty years ago.

As for sports, they have never been a focus of the school. Personally, I think that is great! Our culture emphasizes sports too much. Sports should not take over your life unless you are an A-Rod in the making.

The criticism about the isolation is real especially for boarders. That is a difficult situation. However that is why some appreciate it.

Not the ^^PP, but this is part of what makes Madeira special.
http://comcastnewsmakers.com/2017/03/31/empowering-women-is-key-in-education/

Co-curriculum, unique schedule, and student body comprised of girls from around the world who want to change the world -- these are the things that attracted my daughter to Madeira. It has thus far lived up to her high expectations. It's important to note that every Madeira student has these defining experiences, not just the superstars or those who choose a certain track.

I am going to add a little perspective here on what makes Madeira unique. Madeira has a co-curriculum program that bar none is the best experience any school in the area has to enable your student to experience outside the classroom work/life. In your sophomore year you are placed (based upon student preferences) in a community service agency for five weeks, full time. You have an opportunity to learn and grow within that agency. To truly contribute. Junior year you are on Capital Hill with a senator or representative. Again, for five weeks, full time you are sitting in on hearings, attending meetings, responding to constituents emails and phone calls and giving tours of capital. Senior year your daughter gets to decide where she would like to intern. Is she interested in being a Vet, a scientist, an accountant, a psychologist, a teacher...here she with the co-curriculum office will find a suitable internship for her to give her a taste of real work life. You can't put a price tag on finding your true life passion but Madeira provides the opportunities to begin to explore what it might be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

No it isn't.

Actually, it is. I work in Bethesda and drive by Madeira every day from my home in Loudoun County. It's ten minutes to my office, which is not in downtown Bethesda, but then again, Bethesda is pretty large.

Omg. Someone claiming McLean to Bethesda is ten minutes. You're crazy.

PP here. At 6:00 in the morning it is

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

No it isn't.

Actually, it is. I work in Bethesda and drive by Madeira every day from my home in Loudoun County. It's ten minutes to my office, which is not in downtown Bethesda, but then again, Bethesda is pretty large.

Omg. Someone claiming McLean to Bethesda is ten minutes. You're crazy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

No it isn't.

Actually, it is. I work in Bethesda and drive by Madeira every day from my home in Loudoun County. It's ten minutes to my office, which is not in downtown Bethesda, but then again, Bethesda is pretty large.

Anonymous wrote:I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

No it isn't.

Madeira has a wide variety of athletics available. Are you hoping your daughter will play professional sports? Then probably not the school for you. Are you hoping your daughter has the chance to play a different sport every season and be on a team no matter her athletic prowess? Then maybe it's a great fit. My son is at a small private that would be considered subpar for athletics, but I think it's great because he gets to be on any team he would like to be on and actually gets to play, learn, and have fun. To me, that is a complete education.

Anonymous wrote:I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

I agree about single sex education for girls but I think the formula works better when they have interaction with the boys as well – like being in close proximity to a boys school and having a brother school like NCS and Holton do. Otherwise I think the girls being isolated alone without regular interaction with boys to mix things up is not good. I know a few moms that graduated from there and three of the four are all much more gossipy and catty than the average mom I have run across in DC. It may be just a coincidence.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in northern VA - thought about having DD apply to Madeira and it's merit scholarship - assume the latter is quite hard to get - but upon looking at college acceptances and NMSF stats in the past, I was not as impressed as I thought.

Any feedback on the level of academic rigor/challenge there? Also, looking at the videos/photos on the website - there were zero south asians with some east asians and some AA girls. Is this a very WASP school?

If you look at any of the privates in this area, none have a truly impressive list of colleges. Every single one is on par with a decent public so if you choose private, you need to do so for the experience that it will afford.

Yes, Maderia has some diversity. You actually need to visit to see it.

+1 that the privates are not that impressive like other big cities or some top-level boarding schools.
Don't know anything about the publics.

Another vote for a single sex school for girls. It is a different world when all resources go to girls (lots of dance, no football) etc.

Agree with PP. Madeira is 8 miles from our house in Bethesda, and 2 miles outside the beltway. It is a lovely campus, but it's hardly isolated and the girls are able to take advantage of the city.

I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

Great school but a bit stuck in time having an all girls school so geographically isolated. Parent friend that went there is not sending her daughter there.